By Apipa P. Bagumbaran
MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, June 5–Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Special Concerns and Trade Promotions Group assured Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) cooperatives who will receive entrepreneurial projects of the Department’s assistance in providing market access.
Macatoman, who recently visited MILF’s Camp Bilal in Lanao del Norte and Camp Bushra Somiorang in Lanao del Sur to lead the turnover of mobile rice mill projects, conveyed that DTI is not only committed to provide equipment and other shared service facilities but also marketing support and other related services such as branding, packaging, and labeling, among others.
“Expert po ang DTI sa mga marketing assistance kung papano nila ibenta (yung mga produkto). Dun sa value chain, kami ay makakaassist sa kanila pati sa packaging kung sila ay may mga products na gusto nilang ibenta,” he said.
[DTI is an expert in marketing assistance, on how they can sell (their products). In the value chain, we can assist them as well as in packaging if they have the products they want to sell.]
Macatoman said he is attending turnover of projects under the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization-Peaceful Return and Aggressive Inclusion Social Entrepreneurship (ICCMN-PRAISE) program to personally assess what other interventions are needed by the MILF camps noting the different characteristics and needs of each camp.
“Tinitingnan natin yung pwedeng mga high-value crops na pwede nilang maexport not just for domestic consumption. Aside sa palayan o kaya mais, tinitingnan din natin ang coconut, lalong-lalo na yung virgin coconut oil na pwede tayong makapagbigay din ng equipment para makapagprocess sila,” he said.
[We are looking at possible high-value crops that they can export, not just for domestic consumption. Aside from rice or corn, we also look at coconut, especially virgin coconut oil wherein we can also provide equipment for them to process (VCO).]
Macatoman added that DTI is also eyeing shared service facilities for the production and processing of other high-value crops such as coffee and cacao.
On Friday, June 4, MILF cooperatives under the five base command of the Northeastern Mindanao Front received mobile rice mill projects from DTI through the ICCMN-PRAISE, a program that seeks to boost economic development in major MILF camps and Bangsamoro communities.
The recipients are 120th Base Command Madrasah Norol Hidaya Picotaan Producer Cooperative based in Lumbatan town; Bangsamoro Bushra Region Producer Cooperative 119th Base in Butig town; and 101st Base Command Robinhood Farmers and Fisherfolk Producer Cooperative, 103rd Base Command Producers Cooperative, and Insan Livelihood Service Cooperative, all based in Nusa, Balindong. Philippine Information Agency
The Ranao Star 